
"We’re expecting 12 to 18 feet of storm surge, according to the National Hurricane Center.” “We’ll get a surge here that will be catastrophic," he said. The powerful hurricane drew water out of the harbor alongside Punta Gorda on Wednesday morning, but soon all of that water and much more would be flowing through Punta Gorda. Needham, an extreme weather and disaster scientist with the GeoTrek project, said Wednesday that he is expecting a massive storm surge as the hurricane approached. “I think a lot of people will be forced to swim or wade in the water for their survival,” he said, speaking from a town in the path of Ian. Needham told NBC News by phone that residents nearby were not ready for what was to come. "While we recognize that the storm track is still uncertain, I nevertheless encourage all Virginians and visitors to make a plan, have supplies on hand, and follow official sources for the latest forecast information and guidance."įrom his perch atop a parking garage in Punta Gorda, Florida, Hal Needham is expecting catastrophe from Hurricane Ian, which was churning with incredible power offshore Wednesday and bearing down on a town where it was clear not everyone had heeded warnings to evacuate.

“We want to ensure that our communities have the resources needed to respond to and recover from any potential effects from the storm," he said. In Virginia, the state of emergency mobilizes resources and equipment needed for response and recovery efforts, Gov. Declaring a state of emergency activates emergency operations plans, waives rules that could inhibit the transport of fuel and critical supplies, helps first responders and protects consumers from price gouging, Cooper said.Įighty members of the North Carolina National Guard have been activated. The remnants of Ian could bring heavy rain, flooding and even tornadoes to North Carolina on Friday and Saturday. “North Carolinians should stay aware, keep a close eye on the forecast and prepare their emergency supplies.” “A State of Emergency is needed now so that farmers and those preparing for the storm can more quickly get ready for the heavy rain that is likely to fall in much of our state,” North Carolina Gov. The governors of North Carolina and Virginia declared states of emergency Wednesday evening ahead of Hurricane Ian's expected impact later this week. The building they are in is surrounded by 8 feet of water, he said on MSNBC. Terry Mazany, of Fort Myers, described it as a “freight train” of wind. Storm surge warnings covered most of the western coast, including Tampa Bay, and were also in place on the East Coast, from around Volusia County to parts of South Carolina. Its center was about 70 miles south of Orlando as it moved northeast at 8 mph. Residents reported being trapped by high water.Ĭentral and northeast Florida could get 20 inches of rain, the National Hurricane Center said in an 11 p.m.
#Current hurricane track full
Officials in Lee County say the damage there is extensive, but its full scope was not clearly known.


It was a Category 4 storm with 150 mph winds when it made landfall near Cayo Costa on Florida's western coast at 3 p.m. The wind speeds made Ian a Category 1 storm on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale. Hurricane Ian’s maximum sustained winds dropped to 90 mph by late Wednesday, but the storm was still battering Florida with heavy rain and the risk of life-threatening storm surge, officials said. Para información en español de Noticias Telemundo haga click aquí Meanwhile, across Cuba, residents have been left without power after sweeping outages in Ian's wake. The National Hurricane Center has warned of "life-threatening storm surge, catastrophic winds and flooding in the Florida Peninsula," with millions under evacuation orders. Later Wednesday, the storm gradually weakened to a Category 1 hurricane with maximum sustained winds around 90 mph, but heavy rain continued to pummel the state, and storm surge warnings remained in effect. Maximum sustained winds were around 150 mph as it hit the southwest coast at the island of Cayo Costa near Fort Myers and Cape Coral.īy Wednesday night, more than 2 million customers were without power in the state, and communities along Florida's west coast had issued mandatory curfews. Hurricane Ian made landfall in Florida on Wednesday afternoon as a powerful Category 4 storm.

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